Travel can be an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons and refresh your world-view. It can also backfire on you if you don’t take the time to prepare for the inevitable culture shock, whether your journey is domestic or international. Follow these tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel and vacation experience.
Keeping a business card from your hotel in your wallet may keep you out of trouble. Immediately upon check-in make sure you grab a card and have it with you wherever you may go. Most especially in a foreign country or unfamiliar place, if you get lost you can simply call them for help or if you happen to over indulge in spirits the card will identify your rightful place in the neighborhood.
Use websites that allow you to name your own price on hotel rooms for your next overnight stay. You can save a considerable amount of money by doing this. You won’t be able to know ahead of time what hotel will accept your bid, but the savings more than make up for it.
If you have a choice when booking flights for travel and vacation, select an airline that uses primarily 767 jets. These larger jets have more legroom, and offer more direct flights because they can stay in the air longer. Also, the 767s have a two-three-two seat configuration, meaning there is only one middle seat per row instead of the usual two.
When booking a hotel room, don’t be afraid to negotiate. While many hotel clerks aren’t able to move too much on price, there may be other perks they can offer, such as meals or parking. In some cases the desk staff isn’t able to offer discounts or packages unless the guest specifically asks about them.
When you travel and vacation make sure you take a travel and vacation-size bottle of Febreeze or similar product in your handbag. The person who sat in the seat of the plane, bus, or train before you may not have had time to shower before sitting down for a long flight. Avoid spending your trip smelling the previous passenger’s body odor by spraying your seat with Febreeze.
When travel and vacationing by air you should wear comfortable shoes which can be slipped off easily. You may need to take your shoes off during security checks. Comfort is extremely important. Although you can end up walking a lot, you will also end up sitting a lot, so shoes will full coverage and support aren’t required. A perfect type of footwear for travel and vacationling is sandals.
Find out about national holidays. Before you schedule your international travel and vacation, check a calendar to see if there are any holidays during your stay abroad and what that means in terms of business and restaurant closings. It may affect what is open or available to do. You may find you have plenty or options or, it could be a day of rest for the locals – meaning a day wasted for you – leaving you with nothing to do.
If you qualify, use an international “discount” card. Teachers, students and youths, all qualify for international identification cards and these cards have special benefits. The cost is small, but if you can find the right places to use them, the fee is negligible. Get them for your children, to get special offers.
Now the choice is yours, so get out there and enjoy finding new places and people to challenge your preconceptions. Armed with a little extra knowledge now about the experience of travel and vacationing, you can expect a few less bumps on the road to your destination. Share this article with friends and family, who may be heading out with you or on journeys of their own.
